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Memorable, crazy movie

Best movie of this year hands down!

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

An entertaining but dated period musical, this seems out of place in an era of colorful A musicals from the majors. But what is there is still enjoyable with up-beat song and dance numbers that bring the early part of the 1900's back to life even in glorious black and white. The more than slight story concerns a song-writing team (William Marshall and Kenny Baker) who promote a beautiful dancer for the cover girl of an upcoming 1901 calendar. The daughter of a tough fire chief, she at first spurns their romantic intentions but is soon torn between the two. This leads to friction between the two which can only be resolved in typical fashion through another woman. The music is the real star here with rousing performances of such standards like "At the Fireman's Ball" between a few lovely ballads which includes "Have I told You Lately That I Love You?". An amusing supporting cast includes such pro's as Victor McLaglen as the heroine's pop, Franklin Pangborn as an agent and stage veteran Irene Rich as a dottie landlady.

For me the main reason to see this film is Allan Dwan's wonderful direction. He has the good sense to park it and point it when the action dictates, e.g. in the musical sequences, but he also takes the opportunity to explore every inch of a very complicated set with the camera: up and down the stairs, out the back from low and high, in and out the front door, all around the top studio apartment, and towards the end an enormous crane shot of the house fronts.And he gets good performances out of the cast. I don't agree with the other comments about the acting. The women are all excellent (Jane Frazee in the lead, Irene Rich as the landlady) and Gail Patrick is downright sensational as the cousin from Boston. Victor McLaglen and James Ellison as the Boston sleaze-bag are both excellent; Kenny Baker works hard at it; Franklin Pangborn always a delight: only William Marshall as the composer is a bit wooden, but then he is the designated sap in the script.All in all a very nice ensemble piece with good music too. The firemen's ball number is hilarious.

Quick note on the print I viewed: not the best picture or sound quality, but apart from a view small cuts, complete. It can be found on Disc 1 of the 50 Movie Pack of Musicals DVD.The story is so-so, predictable for a musical. A songwriter and a artist share a flat in an artists-friendly establishment. One is in love with the girl next door but the other enjoys stringing her along.Someone is wealthy but he doesn't like people to know. And the girl next door has a father with a fiery temper.The songs are rather catchy and pleasant, and singers such as Kenny Baker and Janet Martin move them along. Attempts at comedy come off well as does the (slight) drama as the story unfolds.'Calendar Girl' is a cheaply-made B picture from Poverty Row but, for all that, it isn't bad, and will keep you entertained.

This is not a well known musical but includes several excellent songs written by Jimmy McHugh. The principal vocalists include Bill Marshall, Jane Frazee, Janet Martin and specially Kenny Baker. The latter's tenor is shown off to good effect and he is capably joined in duets with Janet Martin, one of the several young players under contract to Republic who disappeared with the decline in the studio system. It is a multi-star cast including Victor McLaglen as a Fire Chief, Irene Rich as a Boarding House owner, Gail Patrick as a wealthy Bostononian and James Ellison. The story involves the trials of young hopefuls in the music/dance world, Martin, Frazee, Marshall, etc. and Ellison, a wealthy young artist from Boston. Martin plays a predatory female after Baker a young song plugger while there is a triangular mixup between Frazee and two potential suitors, Marshall and Ellison and Patrick. Highly recommended as a much better than average small musical from Hollywood just before television started to cut into the profits of the movie studios.